The additional support, shaping, and cushioning of shoe inserts, called orthotics, custom-made to match your feet, may be the best investment you can make for your foot health. Dr. Alan J. Rosen, of the Upper East Side neighborhood of New York, prescribes and fits custom orthotics for both preventive and treatment purposes. Call today or make an appointment online to have your feet fitted.
While you can buy over-the-counter shoe inserts in your size in pharmacies and department stores, these represent prosthetic designs targeted for the general population. If your feet fall into this average profile, then the generic inserts may provide you with adequate benefits.
However, custom orthotics are biomechanical appliances that correct imbalances unique to your feet. Dr. Rosen uses his expertise to match the elements of the orthotic to your foot problem. For example, if you have flat feet, introducing a steeper arch support may improve the load-bearing performance of your foot and even correct minor knock-knee conditions. In addition to the corrective elements, you benefit from the advantage that a custom orthotic is made from a casted mold of your feet, not calculated to fit averages.
Nearly anyone can realize benefits from wearing orthotics. For those without existing foot problems, orthotics represent an ideal preventive treatment to help avoid foot issues altogether. If you already have trouble with your feet, there’s a good chance that custom-made orthotics will aid your recovery or pain reduction. In particular, custom orthotics can aid foot conditions including:
Typically, the more you wear shoes with custom orthotics, the sooner you feel the benefits of foot realignment. However, in practice, you may experience discomfort or pain as your body adjusts to the corrections that the custom orthotics create. This may be felt as spot pressure in your feet, or more generalized aches throughout your body.
It may be necessary to ease into your custom orthotics. For instance, Dr. Rosen may advise that you wear your inserts in two-hour intervals for the first two weeks, then move to full-time use. This provides a transition period for your body to adapt to the new balances your custom orthotics create.
Your orthotics may not be suitable for all the types of shoes you wear. Typically, custom orthotics work best with low or regular heel shoes, such as dress, running, or sports shoes. Bring samples of the type of footwear you expect to wear so that Dr. Rosen can adapt your orthotics to match.
